Patriot Chiefs and Loyal Braves

The Civil War

The beginning of the Civil War marked a turbulent time for the Catawba Indians
in the Apalachicola River Valley. Obviously influenced by their ancestral
warrior culture, they were little concerned with the political or racial
aspects of the conflict. Though no immediate negative effects were apparent
as the war raged, the after-effects would prove to be near disastrous. Some
Catawba enlisting with the Confederate military did not return in as good
shape as when they had left, and some did not return at all. The most devastating
effect of the war was the legal and social problems the Catawba would face
after they had abandoned the doomed Confederate cause.

Under the charismatic influence of John Captain Jack Ayers and
Indian countryman John Chason, in December of 1861 Isham Scott and Francis
Frank Hill enlisted with Captain McCallisters Calhoun Rangers.
This home guard company served no longer than three months, however many
of the soldiers re-enlisted in other Confederate units.

In September of 1862, Ruben G. Blanchard (who
had married Jane Scott Stone, the granddaughter of Olive Jones) enlisted
with the Confederate Army in Company E, 10th Florida Infantry.
Blanchard was soon reassigned to the Confederate Navy in 1864 and served
on the ironclad gunboat Palmetto State. Ruben served on the gunboat
until Charleston was evacuated, then was re-assigned to the Army. After being
captured on April 6, 1865 during General Lees retreat from Richmond,
Blanchard was held in prison at Point Lookout prison in Maryland for two
months and released. Despite his unquestionable loyal service to the Confederacy,
Ruben was initially denied a Florida Confederate Pension in 1908. This was
due, in no small part, to the Chairman of the Calhoun County Commission,
George L. Hansford. Hansford refused to approve the pension application of
Blanchard, and took the further step to write personal letters to the pension
board to accuse Blanchard of being mixed blooded
and of having joined the Union Blockade Fleet. Hansfords brother, John
D. Hansford, had earlier married Ruben Blanchards daughter, Mary Jane,
and this obviously insulted the racial purity ideals held by George. Though
it was clearly documented that Blanchard had served in the Confederate military,
the pension board declined to approve Blanchards pension stating,
Negroes were not enlisted and are not entitled to
pensions. It was only after Blanchard attained the services
of Jackson County law firm Calhoun & Campbell, that he was approved for
the meager pension. A support letter written by W.M. Ayers stated that Ayers
had known Blanchard for over 45 years, and that they had served together
during the late War. Blanchards attorneys chalked the whole affair
between Hansford and Blanchard up to some would be officer of
CalhounCounty who got a little mad with him about his
politics.

On September 27th, 1864 the Union Cavalry clashed with the Confederate
Army at Marianna, Florida. This battle would produce two significant events,
involving the Apalachicola Catawba. In the heat of battle, John Chason,
benefactor of the Catawba and land agent for Absolom Scott, was seriously
wounded and captured by Union soldiers. Chason was sent to Ship Island prison
where he died of dysentery on December 19th, 1864. The support
of the Florida Catawba towards the Confederate cause was destined to die
with Chason. Another interesting occurring during this battle was a report
of Union soldiers capturing a confederate soldier on horseback, which they
first assumed was a colored man. The soldiers solved this mystery
after the capture when they determined that Henry Stevens, the colored
man in question, was of Indian blood.

Confederate enlistment records of Catawba in Florida are a wealth of personal
information on the origins and physical descriptions of these early community
members:

ÉPrivate James G.
Stephens enlisted in the 2nd Florida Battalion Company E where
he is described as born 1840, living in Marianna, captured in 1864 near
Petersburgh and released from Elmira Prison in 1865. He was 5 foot 4 inches,
hazel eyes, dark skin, dark hair.

ÉPrivate Isham Scott
enlisted in the Calhoun Homegaurds where he is described as 5 foot 5 inches,
brown eyes, dark hair and dark skin.

ÉPrivate John Levy
Emanuel enlisted in the 6th Florida Infantry Company D where
he is described as born 1843, captured near Nashville in 1864 and sent to
Camp Douglas Prison. Mustered into the 5th U.S. Volunteer Infantry
in 1865.

ÉPrivate Asa Emanuel
enlisted in the 6th Florida Infantry Company D where he is described
as born 1815 in Georgia, attempted to enlist in 1862 at Apalachicola but
was rejected by the inspecting officer. He was a member of Watsons
Company of Florida Militia and was captured 1864 in Volusia County. He was
5 foot 8 inches, grey hair, grey eyes, dark skin and last appears
on a roll at Hilton Head Prison in 1865.

ÉPrivate Daniel Bunch
enlisted in the 6th Florida Infantry Company D where he is described
as born 1833, absent on every roll after April 1862 and AWOL since 1863.

ÉPrivate William Perkins
enlisted in the 6th Florida Infantry Company D where he is described
as born 1845 in Bibb County, Georgia, discharged 1863 in Mossy Creek Tennessee.
He was 5 foot 4 inches, dark skin, dark hair, black eyes.

ÉPrivate John W. Hill
enlisted in the 8th Florida Infantry Company E where he is described
as born 1834 in Robeson County, North Carolina. He died of pneumonia in 1862
at Camp Winder Hospital, Richmond, Virginia.

After 1864 it appears that the Catawba abandoned the Confederate cause. Many
Catawba who had been serving the Confederacy switched sides and enlisted
with the Union. As with the CSA enlistments, the Union service records also
contain worthy information about these warriors:

ÉPrivate John T. Scott
enlisted with the 2nd Florida Cavalry Company A where he is described
as born 1843 in Early County, Georgia. He was 5 foot 11 inches, black
eyes, black hair, dark skin. He did not return from the War.

ÉPrivate Alexander H.
Stephens enlisted with the 2nd Florida Cavalry Company A where
he is described as born 1829 in Jackson County. He was 5 foot 10 inches,
dark brown eyes, dark hair, dark skin. He died of disease during the
War and did not return.

ÉPrivate William Bunch
enlisted in the 2nd Florida Cavalry Company A where he is described
as born 1845 in Henry County, Alabama. He was 5 foot 6 inches, hazel eyes,
dark brown hair, dark skin.

ÉPrivate Francis M.
Williams enlisted in the 2nd Florida Cavalry Company A where
he is described as born 1842 in Calhoun County. He was 5 foot 9 inches,
hazel eyes, dark brown hair, dark skin.

ÉPrivate John Williams
enlisted in the 2nd Florida Cavalry Company A where he is described
as born 1845 in Calhoun County. He was 5 foot 8 inches, black eyes, black
hair, dark skin.

ÉPrivate John M. Scott
enlisted in the Florida Ranger Regiment Company A where he is described
as born in JacksonCounty in the State of
Florida, aged 21 years and by occupation a farmer.
This soldier has black eyes, black hair, dark complexion, he is 5 feet 7
½ inches tall.

ÉPrivate Samuel Scott
enlisted in the Florida Ranger Regiment Company A where he is described as
born in CalhounCounty in the State of
Florida, aged 19 years and by occupation a farmer.
This soldier has black eyes, dark hair, dark complexion, he is 5 feet 8 ½
inches tall.

During the final days of the War, Private Wade Richardson wrote
of the Unions Florida Cavalry soldiers:

As to the rank and file they were as motley crew of as
dare-devil fellows as can

be collected at any seaport town,
I guess. Among them were Spaniards, French

Creoles, half-breed Indians, Germans, a few Poles, and
a host of crackers and